Press Release

Brace Yourself for HURRICANE Season

Dr. Kathleen Tierney is a professor of sociology and director of the National Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder

After last year's devastation, are Americans ready for hurricane season?

Not as much as they should be. A big problem is that the population in the areas subject to hurricanes is among the fastest growing in the U.S. New residents care about quality on the schools or their view. They're not as aware of the hazards. Important disclosures might be among hundreds of papers you sign whenyou close on a new home. That's too late to find out your new house is in a flood plain.

How can people find out what their risks are? In today's Internet world, there's so much new information, so much new mapping. The National Hurricane Center provides storm forecasts. The insurance indutry's Institute for Business and Home Safety has vested interest in minimizing losses from natural disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in the midst of a major floodmap modernization. Californians can learn from the U.S. Geological Survey what the earthquake risk is for their address.

What's the most common mistake people make in an emergency? They delay in evacuating, adding to crowding and congestion. Know where your critical records and most prized possessions are. Keep those in a secure, easily accessible place. Copy important records and put them in a safe-deposit box or give them to someone else to hold. Another pattern is families taking two or even more vehicles then they evacuate - they want to take more stuff, they'll be returning at different times or they want to keep their cars out of harm's way. But this causes problem delays.

What's the best way to prepare for disaster? You need to prepare for all of the phases of the hazard cycle: mitigating - by installing hurricane shutters, for instance; responding - knowing what your evacuation plan is; and recovering - being aware of what insurance covers and what other assistance is available